China calls for more int'l cooperation in combating Somali piracy

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19, 2012 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
China Monday called on
the international community to strengthen communication and
coordination in further combating Somali piracy.

Wang Min, Chinese deputy permanent representative to the UN,
made the statement at an open meeting of the Security Council on
piracy.

Wang said that over the recent years, the international
cooperation in fighting piracy has achieved remarkable results
with less successful piracy attacks.

"We hope that the international community will continue to be
guided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and
relevant international laws, enhance communication and
coordination to further fight piracy through taking coordinated
actions," he said.

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China noted that in relevant activities, the international
community should fully respect the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of the countries concerned.

"We support the coordination role played by the UN in this
regard," Wang said. "It is important to enrich and improve
cooperation mechanism, enhance information sharing, effectively
prosecute and bring those involved in piracy to trial so as to
form synergy in our fight against piracy."
China also supports the initiatives taken by the countries of
the Gulf of Guinea, which include formulating national strategy,
improving international legal regime, strengthening good
governance and beefing up naval, judicial and law enforcement
capacities in order to play a better role in preventing and
combating piracy, according to the diplomat.

"We appeal to the international community to actively support
the capacity building of relevant countries and regional
organizations and to provide more fund and technical support," he
said.

Wang pointed out that as far as Africa is concerned, poverty
and economic and social underdevelopment are the root causes
leading to the problem of piracy.

"We call upon the international community to double its
efforts, provide more assistance to the African countries and the
least developed countries in order to play a positive role for
relevant countries in maintaining national stability, eradicating
poverty and realizing economic and social sustainable
development," he said.

The Chinese navy started to dispatch escort warship to the
Guild of Aden and the Somali waters in January 2009, Wang said. By
the beginning of this November, China had dispatched 13 batches of
34 warships to engage in escort missions for 4,901 vessels in 515
batches, more than half of which are foreign vessels.

"The escort missions are 100 percent successful," he added.

China is willing to continue to strengthen coordination and
cooperation with relevant parties and play an active and
constructive role in international fight against piracy, Wang
stressed.